


Burnt

by shadowedstormy



Category: Frozen (2013), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Hobbit and Frozen (2013) crossover, I'm not sorry, Kili has fire magic, There is singing, but what did you expect?, i love musicals
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-01
Updated: 2014-07-19
Packaged: 2018-01-14 04:36:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1253113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowedstormy/pseuds/shadowedstormy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I said enough!" Kilí snapped as he turned, a wave of crimson fire scorching through the stone from where his foot stamped. Filí jumped back as the flames spurted up, singing the ends of his hair and moustache, melting the silver clasps at the end of his braids. Only his warrior reflexes had him moving fast enough, many other guests weren't so quick.</p>
<p>One of Dain's advisors pushed forward, taking in the whimpering and sobbing people collapsed in pain on the ground, and glared at the dark-haired prince. Orange and gold danced on his left hand, burning the edge of his sleeve, trails of fire flickered in his brown, terrified eyes. "Sorcery." The advisor spat. "Monster!"</p>
<p>"Kilí." The crown prince breathed, watching his brother reach his right hand behind him to open the door, to be met with air. Kilí glanced behind him, the staggering heat that poured off the dwarf had melted a hole through the solid stone. The archer held his hand close to his chest as he ran from the hall, fear making his heart pound and fire trail from his cloak.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wanna see the magic?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Wanna see the magic, fee?" Filí nodded, watching as his little brother concentrated. Kilí waved his hands, fire dancing on his palms, and golden sparks flew from his fingertips.

"Wake up, Fee, wake up, wake up!" Kilí bounced on top of the mass of blankets that was his brother. The pile shifted and Kilí slipped, landing on the ground. The dark-haired dwarfling immediately pulled himself back onto Filí's bed. He went for a different approach, pulling off the covers.

Filí growled as he tried to pull back the blanket. "Go to sleep, Kilí." Kilí pouted as he yanked at the blanket. "But I can't!" He won the tug and held the blanket out of reach.

The blond dwarfling scowled at him. Kilí grinned. Filí sighed. "Other people can get cold, Kee, even if you can't." He shivered slightly. It was cold tonight. Bloody freezing like Uncle Thorin said. Ma had hit him for saying that in front of her boys.

Kilí reached over and hugged his brother. "It's okay, Fee. I'll keep you warm." Filí hugged him back. Kilí was really warm, like the furnaces at Uncle's forge. Filí suspected it had something to do with his brother's magic. As if he could read minds, Kilí smiled at him. "Wanna see the magic, Fee?"

Filí nodded, an answering smile on his face. Kilí sat back, a look of concentration on his face. He waved his hands around and fire began to light the darkness. The young dwarfling cupped his hands together, shaping the bright flames dancing on his palms. He pushed his hands out as a golden hawk flew into the air.

Filí laughed as the burning bird circled around his head, Kilí giggling away. The hawk glided around the room, trailing ribbons of red fire from its yellow wings. Kilí lifted his left hand and the hawk followed its movements, spiralling higher and higher above the two brothers before bursting apart in a shower of orange sparks.

The sparks floated down around the two as both boys grinned at each other, faces illuminated by the glowing embers. Kilí's eyes lost the fiery streaks of colour that ran through them, turning back into the dark brown he normally had.

Fili leaned back against the wall, patting the space beside him. Kilí scrambled forward immediately, snuggling into his brother's side. The blonde dwarfling placed an arm around his younger sibling.

Both boys were falling asleep when Kilí spoke up.

"We'll always be friends, right Filí?" Filí hugged him close. "Best friends, Kee. We're brothers, and we'll always look after each other." Filí meant it. Kilí was his best friend, and he'd go to the ends of Middle Earth for his dark-haired brother.

Kilí warmed up at that. He felt tired now, but he had to say one last thing. "Love you, Fee." Filí smiled. "Love you too, Kee." Both boys drifted iinto their dreams, curled together for warmth and comfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So after a happy prologue, I'm going to throw any one who might be reading this into the deep end with mostly sadness in the next couple of chapters, with a possibly happy ending. I haven't written that far yet.  
> If you are reading this, thank you. Just, thanks.  
> Lets hope I'm not hunted down by a mob with torches and pitchforks.


	2. Because of your curse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I bet it was because of your magic! You know about the prophecy, Thorin said that was why no one else could know about the magic! Well, your curse got Ma killed!"
> 
> "STOP IT!"

Dwalin had left the three Durins by the fireplace, muttering something about funeral arrangements. That had been almost an hour ago and nothing had changed. Thorin studied his nephews from where he sat by the fire. Filí leaned against the wall, staring into nothing. Kilí was perched on the windowsill, fire from the grate flickering towards and being absorbed into the boy, who was glaring at the forest where Dís had-

No, Thorin would not think of that. It was still too painful, the wound too fresh. It would have been worse for his youngest nephew, though. Thorin had found him slumped over the mangled, bloody corpse that- no, deal with grief later. Tend to family now.

"Kilí?" The dwarfling didn't even glance at him. "If you or Filí want to talk-" Kilí cut him off, looking at him now. Fury simmered in his dark brown eyes, fiery streaks starting to appear.

"There's nothing to talk about. Ma's dead. That's it." The callous way the boy said it hit the older dwarf like a blow. It affected Filí as well. The blonde dwarfling raised his head, unshed tears making his blue eyes glisten.

"Don't say that Kee-" He began.

Kilí turned on him now. "How else should I say it? Or do you want me to say it never happened? Because it did, Fee, I saw it. I saw her die!" Acid dripped off every syllable.

This brought some life back into Filí, even if it was anger. "Don't say it at all Kilí, or just don't sound like you don't care!"

Thorin could see Kilí preparing to leap at his brother, It was best to intervene. "Enough! We are all grieving, and we need to be there for each other." He would have continued, if someone hadn't knocked. Thorin was about to go talk to the dwarf, most likely Dwalin, when he turned to his nephews. "Both of you behave. You're brothers, act like it!" He growled at them, before stomping to the door.

It was Dwalin, and the two warriors stood by the front gate discussing Dís's funeral. He had just sent Dwalin off, promising to get a drink with him later, when the dwarf heard the raised voices from inside. He reached the front door in time to hear Kilí's yell, then ominous silence.

The exiled king almost broke the door off its hinges while trying to get inside, and he ran in to find a terrified Kilí, small fires dotting the room, and Filí. Filí who was lying unmoving on the floor, with his clothes smoking and bright red burns criss-crossing his body.

____

The two boys watched their uncle leave, then resolutely ignored each other. That was until Filí spoke.

"Why didn't you save her?"

Kilí gazed at the older dwarfling. Anger simmered in his eyes, tempered by grief and torment. "How?"

Filí snorted. "How? Kilí, you can shoot fire out of your hands, what do you mean how?" Kilí looked at said hands, opening and closing them a couple of times.

He would never say it, but it had been his fault the wolves had chased him in the first place. He had just been throwing a small fireball between his hands when he had fumbled it. It had flown off behind some rocks. Kilí had followed it, not wanting to burn down the forest. That was when he had come face-to-face with a large wolf, fur singed and burnt on its side.

The animal had growled at the young dwarfling, who did the only thing he could think of. He ran. He ran and the wolf had howled for its pack, before starting the hunt.

No. Kilí would never tell that to Filí, to anyone. He wouldn't want to hurt them more. He looked up when he heard Filí snap at him. "Did you just hear me?" the brunette shook his head.

Fili pinched the bridge of his nose. "Was it your fault?" Kilí's eyes widened slightly, then narrowed.

"Was what?" He queried.

"Is it your fault Ma's dead?" Filí didn't bother watching his brother. Kilí was a brilliant liar, but fires always showed his little brother's real emotions. Only Fili had ever known about this tell. Filí studied the flames and saw it. The fire flickered, almost like it flinched. Filí knew then. "It is! It's your fault! You killed her!"

Kilí went white. "No, no, I-I didn't mean to, it was an accident." But Filí wasn't listening.

"I bet it was because of your magic! You know about the prophecy, Thorin said that was why no one else could know about the magic! Well, your curse got Ma killed!"

Kilí had been covering his ears when Filí started yelling, but it didn't block out the words. The words that were completely true. "Stop it! STOP IT!" He yelled as he flung his hands out, trying to push the pain away. He heard a cry of shock, and opened his eyes to see streaks of fire flying towards his sibling, "Filí!"

His brother crumpled as the flames hit him, leaving lines of burns all over his skin. Thorin ran in at this point, taking stock of the situation immediately. He rested his hand on Filí's forehead, one of the only places he could touch, as there was only a small burn on his face, on his jaw, and that was it. "He's burning up. Kilí, what did you do?" He growled at his nephew.

"I'm sorry. I-" What could he say? He never meant to do it? It wasn't his fault? It damn well was his fault. Filí was right, his magic was nothing more than a curse. He had managed to kill two members of his family in a day because of it. He looked up at his uncle with determination to fix this. "What do we do?"

Thorin was already carrying Filí. "There's a Man staying in the town, he said he's a Wizard. Maybe he can help." Kilí nodded, following his uncle. The Wizard had to help.

____

Pallando the Blue looked up as the exiled King Thorin, and immediately saw the young dwarfling in his arms. He immediately began moving everything off the table, gesturing to the dwarf to place the boy on to it. The wizard reached out to check the boy's injuries, and sensed that they had been caused by an incredibly strong magic.

Pallando looked at the older dwarf. "What caused this?" he asked. The dwarf gestured behind him, as an small, dark-haired dwarfling stepped out. Pallando almost recoiled; the heat the child was radiating was amazing. The boy was a fire mage of some sort, and an extremely powerful one at that. He couldn't have been more than twelve years old.

Thorin growled at the blue wizard. "Can you help him?' Pallando remembered the other dwarf child.

"Yes." He answered, "but this is powerful magic. If I am to heal the burns, I will need to remove all traces of magic. Even memories." It would be better in the long run. If the memories were removed, the magic would stay dormant, and wouldn't be triggered. That would prevent a relapse, which none of the Istari, not even Radagast, their best healer, could save the dwarfling from.

"He won't remember my curse?" That was the young dwarfling. The way he was talking about his magic, calling it a curse, was something Pallando had to dispel immediately.

"Listen, little one," The wizard began carefully, kneeling down.

"Kilí." The little dwarf piped up.

Pallando smiled. "Kilí, your magic gives you control over fire and heat, and allows you to create it as well. There is power and beauty in your magic, but there is also great danger. You must learn to control it, so that people aren't harmed by your powers, and so you can accept them as a part of you." He placed a hand on Kilí's shoulder. "But it is not a curse. Your magic is influenced by each of your emotions. Fear of your magic will cause you to lose control of it, as fear is something we can't easily control. Remember, your magic is part of who you are, and you need to accept that. But it is _not_ a curse."

Kilí looked up at the wizard and smiled slightly at him. Pallando smiled back. "That's it, Kilí. Now I must make sure your brother is fully healed." He ignored Thorin's 'finally' so he could focus on removing the last traces of fire from the blonde dwarfling.

____

The three dwarves walked back to their home. Thorin looked at his conscious nephew. "Kilí." His nephew looked up at him.

"Yes, Uncle?" Thorin sighed. He didn't want to do this to his nephew, but he had to, to protect him, to protect them all.

"You can't use your magic anymore, alright? Not even around Filí."

Kilí looked shocked. "But I can learn to control it, uncle."

Thorin nodded. "But you must conceal it. You have to keep it hidden. You know about the prophecy." Kilí did know.

Thorin had only just started his weapons training at the time, but he had proven himself to be mature enough to stand with his older sister, while King Thrór listened to those who came to him with problems. One woman, from the race of Men, had barged into the throne room, her black cape rippling behind her.

She had demanded ten thousand gold coins, and all the precious jewels in the treasury. No king would have given that to the woman. When Thrór had told her as such, she had flown into a rage. Her hands and eyes had glowed dark purple and she recited the prophecy.

" _Your family cursed, your kingdom beat. Your lands will be cursed with unending heat. Abandoned by love, knowing only pain. A young dwarven prince, with powers of flame. The woods will burn, the lake will dry, the mountain will melt and all shall die_."

Thorin had hoped that it wouldn't come to pass. But when Kilí had first sneezed a stream of fire, he and Dís had both knew that it could be her second son. "But I'm not the prophecy, Uncle Thorin. I would never destroy the land." Thorin nodded absently. He would make sure Kilí didn't fulfil the prophecy, even if the boy could never use his magic again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that I went dormant. School is awful, and hard, and why am I complaining to you? You don't want to know about this.
> 
> Okay. Things are happening now. The next chapter is basically going to be Kilí's life. prepare thyselves. This is when the singing will begin. (because I have a secret love of musicals and the idea of Kilí singing makes me happy)
> 
> I am really happy with this plot idea, but I am also lazy and get distracted easily. So sorry in advance if I go AWOL for a bit. But I will write the entirety of this story. That is my goal. I will achieve it. At some point.


	3. You never want to build a snowman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Filí had always loved winter.  
> Filí's most favouritest thing in the world was playing in the snow, and his even more most favouritest thing was building snowmen. So that's what Kilí would ask him to do.

Kilí watched from his favourite perch on his window as the snowflakes fell, coating the world in soft, white powder for the first time since last winter. He had gotten a new room. It was smaller than the one he and Filí had shared, but it had a really big window, which was okay. He didn't want to move out, but Thorin said that since Filí was starting his weapons training and his lessons for being Thorin's heir, Filí should have more space.

Filí was always busy now, even though it should be three more years before Filí starts his weapons training, but the first-born prince always got the privileges. It would be eight more years before Kilí could start his weapons training. No privileges for the second-born spare. He was always lonely. Thorin was always helping Filí. So were Misters Balin and Dwalin. No one really paid much attention to Kilí.

But that was okay. It meant he could practice with his fire. But Uncle Thorin had given him some new gloves that would help keep Kilí's powers under control, and Kilí promised he would wear them. But Kilí wasn't stupid. He knew Thorin was separating the brothers, to protect Filí from his curse. Did his uncle really think Kilí would believe that Filí needing space was the only reason he had been given a new room, the day after Kilí had accidently burned his brother?

He had promised Thorin he wouldn't create or even control fire anymore. He had to learn how to hide the curse. Thorin had made up rules for Kilí's magic as well, and sometimes he would stop by to make sure his nephew remembered them.

Kilí looked outside again. Filí had always loved winter. Filí's most favouritest thing in the world was playing in the snow, and his even more most favouritest thing was building snowmen. Maybe if Kilí asked his brother if Filí wanted to go build snowmen, Filí would say yes and open his door. He hadn't every other time the younger brother had knocked, which was every day for the past four months, but Filí always said the first snowfall of the year was the best.

Kilí smiled as he ran to Filí's bedroom. The door was locked, as always, but Filí would definitely open it today. "Filí?" He called, before knocking a couple of times on the door. He was so happy with this plan he couldn't help but sing. Uncle Thorin was always singing, why not him?

 _"Do you wanna build a snowman?"_ Of course he did. _"Come on, let's go an play."_ Filí wasn't answering, but he would. Even if Kilí had to guilt him into it. _"I never see you anymore, come out the door,"_ Filí still wasn't answering. He wasn't opening the door. Not even to build snowmen. Kilí's smile fell. _"It's like you've gone away."_

He sniffled slightly as he turned around and leaned against his brother's closed door. _"We used to be best buddies, and now we're not."_ Kilí sat down and wrapped his arms around his knees. _"I wish you would tell me why."_ Filí didn't want to come out. The dark-haired dwarfling sniffled as he realised his brother didn't like him anymore.

But he'd give it another go. He rolled over onto his hands and knees. _"Do you wanna build a snowman?"_ Filí was stupid for saying no. Actually, what was he doing in there? Kilí pressed his face flat against the ground, trying to see under the gap in the door.

 _"It doesn't have to be a snowman."_ He didn't really care, he just wanted to spend time with Filí. Then the older sibling finally spoke, although it wasn't what Kilí wanted to hear. 

"Go away, Kilí." Filí snapped from his room.

Kilí looked down. His brother really didn't like him anymore. But Kilí would give him some space, Filí just needed time. _"Okay, bye."_ He'd wait, but that didn't mean he'd stop trying.

____

The dark-haired dwarfling wandered through Ered Luin, kicking at rocks. He didn't like being in town, the only time he was ever noticed it was by an adult asking him to get out of the way, or the other kids. The youngest of the lot was Filí, and he didn't spend much time with them anyway. But Kilí was always a target if they caught him. Which they didn't normally, Kilí was fast and normally stayed in the forest.

It was a great way to spend his twentieth birthday. Aside from the fact that everyone completely forgot about it, of course, but you can't have everything. Kilí sighed as he adjusted his gloves. "That's a heavy sigh for one so young."

Kilí looked up quickly, startled by the fact people were talking to him. He met the eyes of a tall Man in a dark cloak. "A Ranger," he breathed. He had heard about them before, and he recognised this one from when Thorin met with him about kingly issues. The dwarf remembered the manners his Ma had taught him about, once. "My name is Kilí, Mister Ranger."

The Man kneeled down and pulled back the hood he was wearing, revealing cropped dark brown hair and scruff where a beard should be. The Ranger smiled at him, vaguely. It may have been a frown, Kilí didn't know. "I am Arador, leader of the Dúnedain. I was making my way to the target range, care to join me?"

Kilí scuffed the toes of his boot as he thought about it. Archery wasn't something Dwarves valued, but what was the harm? Besides, he wasn't going to be noticed when he got home, so he may as well learn something new.

Kilí smirked. "Sure, I'd love to come."

____

Kilí leapt in through his window, bow in hand. He had been practicing ever since he had discovered it was his weapon a year ago. He hid the recurve under his bed in case Thorin decided to grace him with a rare visit.

He was glad that he was immune to both cold and heat. It meant he could spend as much time as he wanted in the woods during winter. Winter, Filí's favourite season. Kilí knocked on his brother's door at least once a day. He had only broken into song the first time. That also happened to be the only time Filí answered. Maybe he should try that again.

He knocked his signature knock on Filí's door. _"Do you wanna build a snowman?"_ He began on an upbeat note. _"Or race each other 'round the halls?"_ His mind flashed back to when he was running around a few days ago. He had ran smack into Mister Dwalin, who actually talked to him and asked him how weapons training was going. He didn't tell the older dwarf about the archery.

Kilí tried a different approach, showing Filí just how he was dealing with the loneliness he was refusing to acknowledge. _"I think some company is overdue, I've started talking to the paintings on the walls."_ He spun around looking at the tapestry of one of Durin's battles that hung just outside Filí's door. "Hang in there, Durin." So maybe he was going insane.

Kilí placed a gloved hand on the tapestry. Did Durin the Deathless ever feel like no one cared about him? Of course not, Kilí was being stupid. _"It gets a little lonely, all these empty rooms, just watching the hours tick by."_ The dwarf waited for a while, in case Filí would open the door. He didn't.

Kilí walked off, planning to go do some more archery practice. He didn't need his brother anyway. He could hunt, track and fight all on his own. He didn't need anyone.

____

It was one of the rare times when Thorin and Filí were actually eating dinner with Kilí. He had a feeling Dwalin had something to do with it. Ever since he had ran into him in the hallway thirty years ago, the dwarf had been at least paying some attention to Kilí. Not much, but more than everyone else.

Kilí decided to start up a conversation, and ask something that had been on his mind for the past few days. "Uncle? Filí?" He started nervously. They glanced at him, stopping their conversation for a moment. Kilí kept talking hoping they were listening to him.

"The Ranger, Arador, he offered me a chance to get some experience by travelling with the Rangers for a bit. I'll be gone for about five years." It would be good, he'd get a lot of fighting and tracking tips, and he'd be able to see what Middle Earth was like. "There's nothing you can say to change my mind. I'm leaving tomorrow. But maybe you could come see me off?" He didn't bother hoping that his family would say yes, so he was surprised when Thorin nodded and grumbled something along the lines of 'Yes, we'll be there.'

The young dark-haired dwarf grinned as he told them where he was meeting the Rangers. Kilí whistled happily as he packed for the trip. His family did listen to him, and they were going to come see him off on his trip. Things were getting better.

____

"They'll be here soon, Arador. They promised." Kilí said as he waited with Arador. They had been waiting for ten minutes. Arador had said they would catch up to the rest of the Rangers easily. "They promised." Kili repeated, "so they have to come."

Kilí's sharp eyes scanned the horizon again. Nothing. Not a damn thing, or dwarf. Kilí clenched his teeth as he realised he'd been ignored by the people he should trust. He breathed out as he put on an uncaring smile. "They probably thought I meant tomorrow. We should go and meet the others." Arador nodded, not fooled by the young dwarf's fake smile one bit.

 _What child should be forced to suffer a life of being ignored and unloved?_ The Ranger thought. _What cruel attempt at a family would do this to one of their own?_ One day, Kilí would break from all of the pain he was trying to hide, and may the Valar have mercy on his family then.

____

Kilí had grown in the five years he'd been a ranger. He had reached his full height, almost as tall as mister Dwalin, and was a skilled fighter with both blade and bow. He'd learnt Sindarin, the language of the elves, how to track in any weather, and many useful survival skills. He'd never tell his uncle about the Elvish language though. He'd probably be disowned.

The Rangers were taking him back to Ered Luin, when they heard about the Fell Winter in this place called the Shire. Apparently the people that lived there, Hobbits, were in great danger from wolves. Kilí shivered. They had been making their way to the Shire to help the Hobbits when they learned the 'Buckland Horn' had been blown, whatever that was. This had caused the Men to quicken their pace.

They had reached the forests near the Shire when they heard a scream. Arador ordered Kilí and two of the other Rangers, one of which was his son, Arathorn, to go and investigate. The trio had pushed through the undergrowth to be met with a horrifying sight.

Two people, far shorter then Kilí, were surrounded by a pack of a dozen large wolves. The larger of the two, a woman with long, dark, curly hair, was bleeding from a multitude of gashes and bites. She looked like she would topple any minute, but she still faced the beasts. Behind her was a boy with short golden-brown hair, also curly, who was probably her son.

The three Rangers leapt to the defence of the people, who must have been Hobbits. Kilí slashed at a large grey wolf, trying not to think how his mother had died doing the same thing this Hobbit woman was, protecting her son from wolves.

Kilí didn't really remember much of the fight, he was too busy pushing away horrible memories of his mother's death. He let instinct and experience guide his blade, until most of the wolves were either dead or running away.

The dwarf wiped the blood off his sword, checking to see that no one was too badly injured. Arathorn was tending to the other Ranger's arm, which bore a nasty wolf bite. Kilí looked at the two Hobbits, checking them over. The woman was badly injured, but it looked like she'd lived. The male Hobbit looked mostly fine, apart from some shallow slashes.

Kilí didn't see the large wolf until it was too late, but the Hobbit woman must have heard it coming. She pulled her son in front of her and pushed him away, as the wolf pounced. Its jaws closed around her neck and a gristly snap echoed through the clearing. Kilí ran at the beast, battle cry echoing as he swung his two-handed sword. The wolf died instantly, the blade being driven through its skull with all the strength of an angry dwarf behind it.

The Hobbit boy crawled forward, dragging his mother away from the wolf that killed her. He keened as he crumpled over her body. Kilí realised that this was exactly how Thorin and Dwalin must have found him. He and the other Rangers bowed their heads in grief for the brave woman who had given her life for her son's.

____

Kilí ran into the healing house where Oin worked. It had been twelve years since he had returned to Ered Luin. He had never forgotten the sight of the young Hobbit mourning his mother. It mixed in with his nightmares of Dís's death.

There had been reports of Orcs in the woods around Ered Luin. Uncle Thorin and Mister Dwalin had taken some of the other warriors to drive the scum away. It worked, Mister Dwalin said, but Kilí wasn't thinking of that when he heard that Uncle Thorin was stabbed. He burst in through the door. "Is Uncle alright?"

Dwalin stood up and laid a hand on the young dwarf's shoulder. "Oin is doing the best he can, but it was a deep injury." Kilí's eyes widened. He couldn't lose anyone else. First his mother, then he almost lost his brother, and his father had died before he was born. Dwalin must have realised this. "But Thorin is stubborn enough to pull through, lad. He'll be fine, don't you worry. Just have some courage, lad."

Another warrior standing in the corner, one of the many who just saw Kilí as a nuisance, snorted. "Thorin's stubborn alright, but Orc blades are coated with filth. He may heal from the stab wound, but it's the infection that's the problem." Dwalin glared at the dwarf. Neither of them noticed Kilí sneak off.

As Kilí ran to the forest, he heard the whispers of everyone in town. It was all along the lines of 'We best pray for Thorin', and 'Durin have mercy on him.' He paid them no heed. Kilí slowed down once he was in the woods, eyes studying the tree branches. He pulled himself up into his favourite, a large oak, and settled down with his thoughts.

____

Kilí stood in front of Filí's door for the first time in years. He had given up completely on his brother ever wanting to actually talk to him again, but there was a good chance they'd lose their uncle if everyone was right.

His gloved hand hovered over the door. Biting his lip, he knocked three times. "Filí?" No answer. _"Please. I know you're in there. People say to pray for Thorin."_ But Thorin couldn't die. He just couldn't. He was Uncle. He had to give Filí hope, because Thorin was always closer to Filí. Kilí didn't want his brother to suffer any more pain.

 _"They say have courage, and I'm trying to, I'm right out here for you."_ He raised his dark eyes from the floor to look at the door, hoping his brother would catch the silent plea. _"Just let me in. We only have each other."_ His shoulder fell on to the door, and he slid down like when he was a child. _"We're all that's left. What are we gonna do?"_

It wasn't working. Kilí was then hit with an idea that might just get through to his brother. _"Do you want to build a snowman?"_ He couldn't help it, he started crying silently as he realised he might lose any chance of being getting his family back,because if Thorin died, Filí would be nothing but an empty shell.

Kilí curled into a ball, not knowing his brother had mirrored his position on the other side of the door. The young brother rubbed at his eyes as he got up and left, while the hope that he didn't knew he still faded away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure how to do the quest for Erebor, which will begin around Chapter 4. Should I (A) do a full run through from Kilí's POV, with possibly some other POVs, (B) just do a few scenes, or (C) ignore the quest completely and move on to the aftermath.
> 
> I'm kind of leaning towards (A) but that would make this story long and do you really want to reread the quest again?
> 
> Also, I like stories where people are singing, it's like a singalong. Am I alone in this? Please don't let me be alone in this. 
> 
> I'm also not uploading the next chapter unless I get at least one person answering my question about the quest. Does that make a bitch?


	4. The quest begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thorin had gone mad. Stark raving mad.

"Kilí."

The voice of his uncle made him freeze. He had been hunting, with his bow, and had just had to walk past the forge. This was it. Kilí was going to be kicked out, where he could no longer bring shame and dishonour to the line of Durin with his elvish weapon and his overall uselessness. Not that he cared, because he didn't, no way, not at all. Well, maybe a bit.

Closing his eyes and taking a breath, Kilí prepared himself for… something, probably bad. He met Thorin's ice blue gaze. It struck him when he realised he actually had to look down slightly to do so. He was taller than his uncle. Thorin spoke. "I know that you are not yet of age." Kilí was only three years off, it wasn't that much. "But I believe that it would be good for you to join a quest."

Kilí's heart stopped for a moment. A quest! Something he had always dreamed of, braving the wilderness, fighting terrible monsters, doing other heroic things. The young dwarf couldn't help the large grin that grew on his face. "A quest? Where?"

Thorin answered. 'Erebor." Kilí's dark eyes widened. Erebor. The lost home of Durin's folk. The Lonely Mountain. The place where a bloody big fire-breathing dragon happily sat, eating anything that came near him. Thorin had gone mad. Stark raving mad.

Thorin seemed to take Kilí's horrified silence as curiosity. "If you wish, you will be pledging your allegiance to me while we are on a quest to reclaim Erebor." So all he had to do was pledge allegiance to his uncle, go on a dangerous and life threatening adventure, which would end up with any mad souls on this quest becoming Smaug's dinner. His temptation for adventure was dying a quick and painful death.

Kilí narrowed his eyes suspiciously. It didn't matter that he was Thorin's kin, he was not of age and everyone in the Blue Mountains thought he was an idiot prankster. Why would he be asked to join this quest?

A thought occurred to him. "How many are going on this quest, Uncle?"

"I have ten other dwarves joining this quest, and a wizard has decided to aid us, he has chosen a skilled burglar to break into Erebor for us." Holy mother of Mahal, was Thorin serious? Twelve dwarves and a burglar? No bloody way was Kilí going on some suicide quest, sure he had pride, but he also had some common sense, which wasn't commonly found in dwarves.

"Filí will be joining us as well, now that I think on it. Perhaps you should stay here actually, Kilí, I'm not sure if you have enough control to keep your temper and hide your… abilities from everyone, you could be a danger." That bastard! No control, Kilí had plenty of control. He could do it! He'd show Thorin. Part of his mind was yelling at him for letting his uncle manipulate his pride so easily. The rest of it was burning with rage.

"Uncle, I have strong control over my powers. I will not be a threat to the others. I can prove it. I always wear the gloves, Uncle, and I don't burn things anymore. Let me do this as a dwarf, not as a sorcerer."

It was only later that he realised how successfully his uncle had manipulated. Mahal damn it all.

____

Kilí left his pony, a dark grey mare with lighter grey patches who he had decided to name Smoke (his own little joke), with the small Hobbit man. Kilí had a feeling he was the only one of this Company who had ever seen a hobbit before. They didn't look like burglar material, but if they were like that Hobbit woman, they'd do well. They didn't seem much like the Hobbit lady, most of them scurrying away when they saw Kilí.

Kilí had ran ahead of the rest of the Compnay, as he had named them in his mind, to avoid being stuck with his brother, who was determined to use this quest to 'repair their brotherly bond', or something soppy like that.

It was getting dark by the time the Kilí found the green door with the burglar mark on it. He stepped forward and knocked on the circular door (more doors should be circular, this looked very good). The door opened and Kilí was a bit shocked. It was the young Hobbit boy, except he looked older now.

Kilí was not staring at him, he just couldn't blink from surprise. He vaguely realised that the Hobbit was looking at him. Kilí immediately remembered his manners. "Kilí, son of Dís, at your service." He said, bowing deeply. Kilí knew a smile was on his face as he straightened. "You must be Mister Boggins." It was Boggins, right? Kilí knew he'd gotten the name wrong when the Hobbit, something- ggins, looked at him funny.

"I-I'm sorry, can I help you?" The Hobbit looked completely bewildered.

"So i'm the first one here, then?" Kilí clarified. "Brilliant." Kilí was not rude, he was just not practiced very well in social ways. Social wasn'nt something you were good at when you had no one to talk to. He darted around the hobbit into the house in the hill. It looked like a maze, he thought, a cushion-filled, furnished, warm maze.

"It's nice, this place, did you do it yourself?" Compliment the host, ask polite questions, these were some of the manners Dís had drummed into her sons. "Have any of the others arrived yet?"

The hobbit raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Others?" The hobbit asked, a quaver in his voice.

Kilí winced. Sly bastard of a wizard. Baggins should have been warned about everything, least of all how judgemental the grumpy git that was technically their leader was. Well that just meant that Kilí would have to tell him everything, because he decided that he liked the hobbit. "Well, there's this dragon problem in my uncle's kingdom…"

____

Kilí whistled as he saddled up Smoke. He looked up to grab his pack and saw a look of guilt and pain on Filí's face. Confusion clouded Kilí's thoughts, then he realised exactly what he was whistling.

'Do you want to build a snowman?' His little ditty.

It had at first just been something that he sang to get Filí to try open the door, but had turned into something that he often hummed and whistled while working.

Serves Filí right for feeling guilty. Warm anger built in Kilí's fingertips as he thought about the Conversation a few years ago. Filí had tried to apologise, and Kilí had been ready to accept. But then he saw the burn.

The burns Kilí had caused when Dís died had faded, leaving a lattice of slightly darker skin lining his brother's body. It was strangely artistic, a spider's web of burn lines travelling out from Filí's chest. One burn curled around his right arm, ending on his right wrist, the hand that Filí was holding out as an invitation for Kilí to clasp in forgiveness.

Kilí knew he couldn't let that happen again. So he had run. Run from his brother, his brother who had abandoned him. He wasn't going to hurt Filí, and he would make sure that Filí would never hurt him again. No matter how many times he was given the heart breaking stare his brother seemed to have perfected to an art.

____

So perhaps having a whispered argument with Filí over how to watch the ponies wasn't really the best way to watch the ponies.

Kilí had been the first to realise it, he had sensed another fire nearby, probably bandits, and had looked up to see only fourteen ponies. Kilí had pointed it out to Filí, and the two had counted up just to make sure, but they were missing Bungo and Daisy. Dwalin would be absolutely pissed, everyone thought that Bilbo was soft and spoiled Myrtle, but Dwalin was worse. Kilí had caught him braiding flowers into Daisy's mane and giving her sugar cakes that the warrior had stolen from Bilbo. Kili had been sworn to secrecy and had been given the last two sugar cakes. It was a good trade to stay silent, Bilbo cooked as well as Bombur, who'd be really displeased (or as displeased as Bombur could get) that Bungo was gone too.

"What's the matter?" The brothers jumped. Bilbo was very good at moving silently, it seemed.

"We're supposed to be watching the ponies." Kilí started.

Filí continued, "Only we've encountered a slight problem." _That was one way of putting it._

"We had sixteen," Kilí elaborated.

Filí finished up, "now there's fourteen." Neither of the brothers realised that they often spoke and thought along the same lines when it came to problem-solving, or teasing, as Bilbo had discovered when it was 'horrify the Hobbit' night.

Kilí weaved his way between the ponies to where he thought he had seen something. He talked to Bilbo as he walked. "Daisy and Bungo are missing." Filí and Bilbo followed him, Bilbo blathering about how this is not good.

Filí stood in front of the uprooted tree as they approached, but Kilí had seen enough. "Shouldn't we tell Thorin?" Bilbo asked innocently, and Filí jumped in hurriedly.

"No, best not worry him." Because Fili would hate to cause Thorin worry, wouldn't he? It may scar Thorin for life, realising his perfect heir wasn't so perfect after all. "As our official burglar, we thought you might like to look into it." _Hang on, what's this 'we' stuff?_

Bilbo looked very confused at this point. "Well it looked like something big uprooted these trees." _Thank you for pointing that out, it's not like we realised it._ "Very big, and possibly quite dangerous." The two seem to go hand-in-hand.

Filí was looking through the trees, eyes narrowed. "Look, there's a light." That was the way the fire was. Fili waved them over. "Stay down." The three crouched behind a log, and heard grunts and sounds coming from the direction of the fire.

The hobbit turned to Fili, still holding bowls of stew. "What is it?" Kili had an answer. Those were not orcs or bandits, and there was a distinct shadow Kilí recognised from travelling with the Rangers.

"Trolls." He spat. 

Kili ran forward, and heard large thudding footsteps coming their way. The dwarf ducked behind a tree and grabbed his yellow-haired brother, and both dwarves watched the troll go by, carrying two more ponies. Slate and sulphur, that thing was huge! It was bigger than Thorin's forge. "It's got Myrtle and Minty." Bilbo whispered from where he was cowering behind some rocks. "I think they're going to eat them. We have to do something."

It was then Kilí realised that this was a perfect opportunity to test the burglar. The dark-haired dwarf grabbed one of the bowls of stew from Bilbo, "Yes, you should." This brilliant idea of Kilí's caused the hobbit to do a repeat of Bag End, shaking his head and stuttering 'No'. Kilí looked at him imploringly. "Mountain trolls are slow and stupid, and you're so small they'll never even see you. It's perfectly safe!" Hopefully. "We'll be right behind you." Give or take a minute to eat the stew and build up his strength. And his courage.

Filí whispered a signal to the hobbit that was obviously not understood, and the brothers walked to where the ponies were. Filí glanced at him. "Are you sure that he'll be alright?"

Kilí waved a hand at him absently. "He'll be fine, Filí." Kilí said confidently. "We aren't that far away."

Filí nodded, still looking troubled. "Maybe one of us should go tell Thorin." Kilí's dark eyes narrowed imperceptibly at the mention of his uncle. "You stay here Kilí, and make sure no more ponies are lost. I'll get Thorin." Kilí was fine with that.

Filí ran back to camp while Kilí walked back to where his brother had seen the fire, he could keep watch easily enough here. Kilí listened closely to the trolls, when he started hearing things along the lines of 'can we eat you?' and 'it's too quick', the dwarf unsheathed his sword and ran to save Bilbo.

_I am utterly mad._ Kilí thought as he burst through the undergrowth, slashing and hacking at the tree trunk that was a troll leg. "DROP HIM!" Kilí ordered, seeing Bilbo being held by two of the trolls.

All of them looked confused. "You wot?"

Kilí grinned devilishly, swinging his sword around because he could, and it made him look heroic and impressive. "I said," Kilí tilted his head slightly, smirk in place, before settling into a fighting stance, holding his two-handed blade at the ready. "Drop him." The dumb trolls did just that, throwing the hobbit into Kilí with enough force to knock both of them on the ground, which was the cue for Thorin and the Company to come charging into the clearing and start fighting the trolls.

Kilí got to his feet, pulling the hobbit up, and quickly checking to make sure he was alright.

The young dwarf saw one of the Company about to be knocked aside by a troll's arm, pelted forward, somersaulted over the fire and delivered a heavy blow that almost cut the trolls fingers off. It was then he realised that it was Thorin he had just saved, and his uncle was looking at him with the same look Filí was given whenever the older brother said an amazing speech (Bag End), or got a sword move right (all the bloody time). But it couldn't have been pride. That was something that Thorin felt for his heir, not Kilí.

Kilí saw that the rest of the dwarves we converging on the other side of the clearing, and he and Thorin went to join them. The two stood at the head of the warriors, and Kilí saw why they had stopped fighting. "Bilbo!" he yelled, about to run forward before Thorin's hand stopped him.

The trolls looked smug as they saw the dwarves wouldn't risk the hobbit's life. "Drop yer arms," one of them ordered, "or we'll rip his off." Kilí looked at Thorin. They could save Bilbo, it would be pretty easy. Ori was a deft shot with his slingshot, and Filí was good with his throwing knives and axes. Trolls had terrible reaction times anyway.

Thorin dropped his sword.

Kilí was certain he looked gormless with his mouth hanging open, but they just needed to get one of the trolls in the eye, hit the other one's wrist, and they could save Bilbo. But that didn't work if Thorin had given up. Kilí followed his uncle's lead, throwing down his sword with more force than necessary. Ori did the same, making a big show of throwing down his slingshot.

The trolls were grinning as one of them grabbed a number of sacks and some rope. _Bugger._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long. School is evil and it hates me. I did warn you updates would be sporadic.
> 
> Anyway, basic summary of this is that Kili is invited on a quest, then he finds out what that entails and thinks his uncle'd gone loopy. He's also pretty much disowned Thorin as his uncle, as this Thorin is socially impaired with chronic foot-in-mouth disease. Fili's entire life goal can be summed up by 'LET ME HUG YOU, KILI.' Kili has issues with his family and just about everything else. Poor baby is getting no sympathy.
> 
> I'm going to do most of the quest, with scenes that I want to write and some original stuff. So you know. Just remember that my enthusiasm for writing this comes and goes with my ideas, I have a lot of story ideas that I'm forever going between, and I'm also quite possibly one of the laziest fuckers that has ever lived on this earth.


End file.
